Back in the '70s the rivalry was so hot, things even got nasty behind the scenes.

Now-retired Steelers publicity guy Joe Gordon developed the habit of closing letters to his Cowboys counterpart with a two-word phrase that wasn't ''Sincerely yours.''

Welcome, Cowboys. Watch out for the mud.

No longer special

One of these years we have to quit pretending the annual Pitt-Duquesne basketball game means anything to anyone under 40.

You have to be that old to remember when the two programs were on the same plane, and when local players were prominent on the rosters for both schools.

Part of what made it a rivalry was good local players were usually recruited by both schools, and the players often carried over a history from their high school days.

Those days are long gone, and Duquesne is just another early-season softie that allows Pitt to tune up for its real competition in the Big East.

Time to go

If the Pirates haven't traded Jack Wilson yet, they soon will.

The team is going to be bad in 2009, and management knows it. Under those circumstances, you don't need a No. 8 hitter making $8 million for the last year of his contract.

Wonder if Wilson will be able to handle the shock of playing meaningful games after the All-Star break?

On the market

''Retired'' Pirates broadcaster Lanny Frattare has expressed an interest in the vacant athletic director job at Upper St. Clair High School.

The position opened earlier this fall when ex-Steeler Ted Petersen resigned to become AD at Kankakee (Ill.) Community College.

Frattare, who has no intention of actually retiring, has also looked into the openings in the Atlanta Braves' broadcast booth, and he's made his interest known to the new MLB network that launches next month.

Sweet freedom

Wilson has been with the Pirates for eight of their 16 consecutive losing seasons, so fans don't begrudge his willingness to leave.

It's almost like he's been a captive who has finally been given his freedom.